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Gods of the Caravan Road #3
The Lady
In the days of the first kings in the North, there were seven devils…
Possessed by a ghost who feeds on death, the undying assassin Ahjvar the Leopard has been captured by the Lady of Marakand, enslaved by necromancy to be captain of her Red Masks. His shield-bearer Ghu, a former slave with an uncanny ability to free the captive dead, follows Ahjvar into the war-torn lands of the Duina Catairna to release him, even if that means destroying what is left of Ahj’s tormented soul.
Deyandara, the last surviving heir of the Catairnan queen, rides into a land ravaged by disease and war, seeking the allies she abandoned months before, though they have no hope of standing against the army led by the invulnerable Red Masks of Marakand and the divine terror of the Lady.
In the city of Marakand, former enemies ally and old friends seek one another’s deaths as loyalists of the entombed gods Gurhan and Ilbialla raise a revolt, spearheaded by the Grasslander wizard Ivah, the shapeshifting Blackdog, and the bear-demon Mikki. The Lady’s defences are not easily breached, though, and the one enemy who might withstand her, the Northron wanderer Moth, bearer of the sword Lakkariss, has vanished.
Possessed by a ghost who feeds on death, the undying assassin Ahjvar the Leopard has been captured by the Lady of Marakand, enslaved by necromancy to be captain of her Red Masks. His shield-bearer Ghu, a former slave with an uncanny ability to free the captive dead, follows Ahjvar into the war-torn lands of the Duina Catairna to release him, even if that means destroying what is left of Ahj’s tormented soul.
Deyandara, the last surviving heir of the Catairnan queen, rides into a land ravaged by disease and war, seeking the allies she abandoned months before, though they have no hope of standing against the army led by the invulnerable Red Masks of Marakand and the divine terror of the Lady.
In the city of Marakand, former enemies ally and old friends seek one another’s deaths as loyalists of the entombed gods Gurhan and Ilbialla raise a revolt, spearheaded by the Grasslander wizard Ivah, the shapeshifting Blackdog, and the bear-demon Mikki. The Lady’s defences are not easily breached, though, and the one enemy who might withstand her, the Northron wanderer Moth, bearer of the sword Lakkariss, has vanished.
451 pages, Paperback
First published December 9, 2014
2 people are currently reading
700 people want to read
About the author
K.V. Johansen
28 books139 followersMostly, I write secondary world fantasy about people on the edges, with shapeshifters, demons, gods, and occasionally dragons. These days, I largely write for adults, though I've written many children's and YA fantasy novels and some children's science fiction, as well as picture books, plus I've been known to perpetrate literary criticism. I also write as Kris Jamison -- a contemporary lit book, Love/Rock/Compost.
My main scholarly interests are ancient and medieval history and languages, and the history of children's fantasy literature. What else can I say? My life is unexciting. I'm acquiring more guitars as I get older; music is very important to me even though I'm no good at it. I'm also, occasionally, an artist.
Here on Goodreads, I'm only rating/reviewing books I've really liked a lot. Sometimes I rate with stars, sometimes I don't, but a book is only on my Goodreads shelves if I liked it. For serious critical analysis from me, you'll have to turn to Quests and Kingdoms or Beyond Window-Dressing.
My main scholarly interests are ancient and medieval history and languages, and the history of children's fantasy literature. What else can I say? My life is unexciting. I'm acquiring more guitars as I get older; music is very important to me even though I'm no good at it. I'm also, occasionally, an artist.
Here on Goodreads, I'm only rating/reviewing books I've really liked a lot. Sometimes I rate with stars, sometimes I don't, but a book is only on my Goodreads shelves if I liked it. For serious critical analysis from me, you'll have to turn to Quests and Kingdoms or Beyond Window-Dressing.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 18, 2016
Wonderful book, a great second half of the duology(?) and a fitting end to the story - albeit that opens things up for the future. It's a beautifully written timeless fantasy Tolkien himself would have loved. Not in the same vein as the more modern sort of fantasy, nor the traditional 80s fare, it's got more in common with Guy Gavriel Kay's books which sit slightly aside from the trends of grimdark or whatever, but these are more solidly fantasy with as always a deft hand to the dealing of magic and gods. Even with bouts of illness taking me away from the book and having to read it in snatches, it held my attention throughout, after struggling to keep up a bit in the Leopard because it had been so long since I read Blackdog. If I had a complaint it would be that the devils are almost a bit too significant in events of the world - while they're hugely powerful, given it's a whole world and there's only ever been seven of them, they crop up more than quite seems natural - while Erikson deals with that with a strong sense of convergence in his series, there's less of an explanation here, it's just presented as a fact and somehow that niggles.
As an aside, it's also one of those more intricate fantasy novels that, I realise these days, are better read on paper. I read the Leopard on my ereader and that didn't help me engage with it - i realise now that i skim a bit on that so lighter reads work best for me and when I think I really need to focus on the prose etc, books like Erikson and these, are best bought in print.
Recommended to all who're looking for a deft, absorbing fantasy - but start with Blackdog I'd suggest, it's referenced a fair bit and it's also really good!
As an aside, it's also one of those more intricate fantasy novels that, I realise these days, are better read on paper. I read the Leopard on my ereader and that didn't help me engage with it - i realise now that i skim a bit on that so lighter reads work best for me and when I think I really need to focus on the prose etc, books like Erikson and these, are best bought in print.
Recommended to all who're looking for a deft, absorbing fantasy - but start with Blackdog I'd suggest, it's referenced a fair bit and it's also really good!
December 20, 2014
So this was a two book series? I guess so, cos there is an ending. And most will continue with their happy or not happy lives, after they rebuild everything. But with 2 of the characters there is a promise of a new series set somewhere else.
Anyway with this series, the last book left everything and everyone in quite a mess. The crazy God/Devil/Dancer is backed into a corner and wants to destroy the city of Marakand and everyone. Then there are a bunch of characters who now fight in Marakand, and I must confess, if I had read her other book, Blackdog, then I would have felt more at home with those. Now it felt like I did not really know them all. The dog, the bear, the wizard, the rest. So even if this is a new series, I do say read Blackdog, and then this series. It will work better.
What I really enjoyed was reading about Deya, Ajhvar and Ghu. There was so much tension there as she was meant to be Queen, but the Goddess did not want her to be. And poor Ajhvar..poor guy :/ And who Ghu really was? Intriguing. They were great characters. They tried to keep things together as forces of Marakand are coming to conquer.
An interesting world, the Gods in particular. I liked how it was all put together.
Anyway with this series, the last book left everything and everyone in quite a mess. The crazy God/Devil/Dancer is backed into a corner and wants to destroy the city of Marakand and everyone. Then there are a bunch of characters who now fight in Marakand, and I must confess, if I had read her other book, Blackdog, then I would have felt more at home with those. Now it felt like I did not really know them all. The dog, the bear, the wizard, the rest. So even if this is a new series, I do say read Blackdog, and then this series. It will work better.
What I really enjoyed was reading about Deya, Ajhvar and Ghu. There was so much tension there as she was meant to be Queen, but the Goddess did not want her to be. And poor Ajhvar..poor guy :/ And who Ghu really was? Intriguing. They were great characters. They tried to keep things together as forces of Marakand are coming to conquer.
An interesting world, the Gods in particular. I liked how it was all put together.
January 28, 2015
The Lady is the second of the Marrakand duology, the first being The Leopard, which I reviewed last year. While I enjoyed this book, I don't think I liked it quite as much as the first one. The big reason for this may be that the duology is really one big book split into two so it really deserves to be read in its entirety. The Lady pretty much picks up right where The Leopard left off and it was a little hard to get back into it after a separation of several months. Someday when I re-read I'll be sure to read both back-to-back.
Rating: 7.5/10.
Rating: 7.5/10.
September 17, 2020
actual rating: 3.5.
Maybe it was somewhat due to the long hiatus between when I read the first book and then this one, but I just couldn't get into The Lady as much as I did The Leopard. There were extensive swaths in this book where nothing meaningful happened, where the story was just biding its time but there wasn't enough small/interpersonal narratives to fill the spaces in-between the major events.
Maybe it was somewhat due to the long hiatus between when I read the first book and then this one, but I just couldn't get into The Lady as much as I did The Leopard. There were extensive swaths in this book where nothing meaningful happened, where the story was just biding its time but there wasn't enough small/interpersonal narratives to fill the spaces in-between the major events.
June 1, 2018
The Leopard was great even if it had a bit of an awkward start, but The Lady was such a nice, enjoyable read from the very beginning to the very end! Zora's chapters were probably the least engaging aspect of the story at certain points because of how her fragmented mind and soul was written, which made sometimes for awkward reading, even if it also made it interesting in its own way.
For those who might be confused, as Gods of Nabban has been listed in some places as Marakand #3, this title effectively and satisfyingly concludes the story that started with The Leopard. Then again, I think these books are actually best experienced as one series, starting from Blackdog, then The Leopard, then The Lady and then Gods of Nabban and whatever might (hopefully) follow. I know the author has said reading Blackdog is not necessary to read The Leopard and so on, but I sincerely think it'd be a mistake, owing to the sheer amount of references and characters used here and introduced there.
Anyway, I digress.
Truly, I honestly can't overstate how much I enjoyed this book. The story was not at all what I expected when I first read the blurb of The Leopard, but thats only works for the better, as far as I am concerned. I still think the title's a bit of a misnomer but thats such a minor gripe.
I loved how new and old came together in Marakand#1 and #2, and how the author continued to elaborate on the world she first showed us with Blackdog. I loved the deft manner in which she handled characterisation. Every character felt solid and compelling, no walking super-powered tropes, or walking cardboards, everyone with strengths and weaknesses and their coloured view of the world, from old favourites like Holla-Sayan or Ivah, to Ahjvar and Ghu, and the few devils and demons we meet along the way.
So truly, I would urge everyone to give the books a chance. Even if for some the amount of descriptions verge on the long-winded, its all well-worth it in the end, and even along the way.
For those who might be confused, as Gods of Nabban has been listed in some places as Marakand #3, this title effectively and satisfyingly concludes the story that started with The Leopard. Then again, I think these books are actually best experienced as one series, starting from Blackdog, then The Leopard, then The Lady and then Gods of Nabban and whatever might (hopefully) follow. I know the author has said reading Blackdog is not necessary to read The Leopard and so on, but I sincerely think it'd be a mistake, owing to the sheer amount of references and characters used here and introduced there.
Anyway, I digress.
Truly, I honestly can't overstate how much I enjoyed this book. The story was not at all what I expected when I first read the blurb of The Leopard, but thats only works for the better, as far as I am concerned. I still think the title's a bit of a misnomer but thats such a minor gripe.
I loved how new and old came together in Marakand#1 and #2, and how the author continued to elaborate on the world she first showed us with Blackdog. I loved the deft manner in which she handled characterisation. Every character felt solid and compelling, no walking super-powered tropes, or walking cardboards, everyone with strengths and weaknesses and their coloured view of the world, from old favourites like Holla-Sayan or Ivah, to Ahjvar and Ghu, and the few devils and demons we meet along the way.
So truly, I would urge everyone to give the books a chance. Even if for some the amount of descriptions verge on the long-winded, its all well-worth it in the end, and even along the way.
December 8, 2014
Originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
It was earlier this year that I was introduced to The Leopard by K.V. Johansen, the first book in the Marakand series which shared the earlier world of her Blackdog book. I am a sucker for good cover art and Pyr really pulled the plugs on The Leopard, take a look for yourself! Anyway, besides the cover art the story of The Leopard was very cool to say the least and luckily for me The Leopard could easily be read as a new introduction to the Marakand universe, you hadn't needed to read Blackdog. K.V. Johansen did leave the story of The Leopard on a cliffhanger and luckily the wait is over, as The Lady will be released this December. I really liked that Pyr pushed this book forward in publishing and that K.V. Johansen managed to write it so fast, often times you have to wait a year or even more for a the sequel!
The Lady is the direct sequel to The Leopard and picks up after those events. I therefore do urge you to start with The Leopard as otherwise this book won't make any sense. The first book focused a lot on Ahjvar and Ghu, but The Lady offers a nice emphasis on some players that haven't seen that much "screentime" yet. Most of the story is once again contained within the boundaries of the city of Marakand. The essence of the story of The Lady is about removing the Lady out of the picture. Get her of the streets of Marakand but this is more easily said than done as the Lady has a large army of Red Masks at her disposal. These Red Masks are worthy opponents, opponents that even the mighty wizard Ivah, Blackdog and Mikki fear as they are said to be invulnerable. The person that leads this opposition if Deyandara who you perhaps can still recall from the first book. *hint* Deyandara was the messenger of the Goddess Catairanach who set the bargain of Ahjvar of getting rid of the Voice of Marakand in exchange for removing the curse that binds him.
As you could already make up from the synopsis of the book is that the once powerful assassin Ahjvar, better known as the Leopard, was caught by the Lady, Ahjvar has been made the general of the Lady's Red Mask army. But Ahjvar isn't wholly alone as his loyal friend Ghu, tracks Ahjvar down in the hope to free him with he gift. Ghu has the ability to set free any captured souls.
These two short explanations of the story doesn't come close to do justice to the whole story of The Lady but I unfortunately can't day more as this is a direct sequel and this is the second part of the duology so everything does go down in this book. Let me just say that there is a lot going on between the different parties involved be it the Grasslander wizard with Blackdog, of Deyandara or Ahjvar and Ghu it's all a very well thought out and solid story that in the end comes greatly together as one whole. This really is the Epic Fantasy that you should be reading. It might not be a book for everything as some parts are a bit heavy but this is well worth your time if you are into Epic Fantasy I think you will be amazed by the power of the story. When you sit back and let the whole story sink you will only appreciate everything much more.
K.V. Johansen narration in The Lady did feel a bit different than when I read The Leopard but not in a bad way at all. Early on in the book you feel that the tension is growing and growing until it cannot any more. I think mainly due to the fact that a lot actions and decisions that were made in the first book were seeing the respective reactions coming to show that it felt different. The Leopard already showed a lot of action, and in The Lady it is all ramped up once again. However not with everything in a confronting manner perse like sword fighting or wizard battles. There are some scenes on confrontations that are very much like powerplays but none that feature heavy magical scenes but very clever nudges here and there making the games played actually much much stronger as you never really know what might happen or that one of the involved parties might explode and thereby escalade everything further. K.V. Johansen has a very nice writing style that readily involves you as a reader.
There are a lot of styles of Epic Fantasy and I like it big and bold and this is precicsely what is shown in The Lady. It draws both influences from the older Epic Fantasy and from the new style what you currently see. This really create a unique sense to the story of The Lady. Take for example this part of the story: "In the days of the first kings in the North, there were seven devils…" This sentence is of high influence of the story added to this comes a might array of sword and sorcery, wizards, assassin and epic magic battle. Next to these seven devils there were also seven wizards... Not only does a simple wizard or assassin or devil make an impact it is also how you use them and for me a big plus is how you name them. This and a lot more are used just spot on in the book. Just very cool, reminds me a lot of the names that Steven Erikson gave his characters in The Malazan Empire of the Fallen just by this you know that they are not to be messed with.
Another thing to the Marakand series and which again comes nice to the forefront in The Lady is the world building. This world that features in this book has a lot of eastern influences, this is clearly notable by the exotic surrounding you are introduced both within the city and outside the city with the caravanseria. You can find out a lot more on the guest blog of "What shaped Marakand's epic fantasy, that K.V. Johansen wrote for the blog.
The Lady is a action packed, edge of your seat conclusion to this part of the Marakand series. Yes correct this part of the Marakand series. There are some loose bits at the end of The Lady that just scream for exploration. All in all K.V. Johansen has written a very solid entry in Epic Fantasy with both The Leopard and The Lady, they have the classical Epic Fantasy influences but combined with the snappy and fast pacing of current style. I do have to admit that there is a lot going on in both of the books that can be overwhelming to others but once you get through it these book are most rewarding they feature a lot of cool stuff that Epic Fantasy fans can't get enough of. I couldn't. I hope to see much more books with these character, you know they are powerful and are up to something!
It was earlier this year that I was introduced to The Leopard by K.V. Johansen, the first book in the Marakand series which shared the earlier world of her Blackdog book. I am a sucker for good cover art and Pyr really pulled the plugs on The Leopard, take a look for yourself! Anyway, besides the cover art the story of The Leopard was very cool to say the least and luckily for me The Leopard could easily be read as a new introduction to the Marakand universe, you hadn't needed to read Blackdog. K.V. Johansen did leave the story of The Leopard on a cliffhanger and luckily the wait is over, as The Lady will be released this December. I really liked that Pyr pushed this book forward in publishing and that K.V. Johansen managed to write it so fast, often times you have to wait a year or even more for a the sequel!
The Lady is the direct sequel to The Leopard and picks up after those events. I therefore do urge you to start with The Leopard as otherwise this book won't make any sense. The first book focused a lot on Ahjvar and Ghu, but The Lady offers a nice emphasis on some players that haven't seen that much "screentime" yet. Most of the story is once again contained within the boundaries of the city of Marakand. The essence of the story of The Lady is about removing the Lady out of the picture. Get her of the streets of Marakand but this is more easily said than done as the Lady has a large army of Red Masks at her disposal. These Red Masks are worthy opponents, opponents that even the mighty wizard Ivah, Blackdog and Mikki fear as they are said to be invulnerable. The person that leads this opposition if Deyandara who you perhaps can still recall from the first book. *hint* Deyandara was the messenger of the Goddess Catairanach who set the bargain of Ahjvar of getting rid of the Voice of Marakand in exchange for removing the curse that binds him.
As you could already make up from the synopsis of the book is that the once powerful assassin Ahjvar, better known as the Leopard, was caught by the Lady, Ahjvar has been made the general of the Lady's Red Mask army. But Ahjvar isn't wholly alone as his loyal friend Ghu, tracks Ahjvar down in the hope to free him with he gift. Ghu has the ability to set free any captured souls.
These two short explanations of the story doesn't come close to do justice to the whole story of The Lady but I unfortunately can't day more as this is a direct sequel and this is the second part of the duology so everything does go down in this book. Let me just say that there is a lot going on between the different parties involved be it the Grasslander wizard with Blackdog, of Deyandara or Ahjvar and Ghu it's all a very well thought out and solid story that in the end comes greatly together as one whole. This really is the Epic Fantasy that you should be reading. It might not be a book for everything as some parts are a bit heavy but this is well worth your time if you are into Epic Fantasy I think you will be amazed by the power of the story. When you sit back and let the whole story sink you will only appreciate everything much more.
K.V. Johansen narration in The Lady did feel a bit different than when I read The Leopard but not in a bad way at all. Early on in the book you feel that the tension is growing and growing until it cannot any more. I think mainly due to the fact that a lot actions and decisions that were made in the first book were seeing the respective reactions coming to show that it felt different. The Leopard already showed a lot of action, and in The Lady it is all ramped up once again. However not with everything in a confronting manner perse like sword fighting or wizard battles. There are some scenes on confrontations that are very much like powerplays but none that feature heavy magical scenes but very clever nudges here and there making the games played actually much much stronger as you never really know what might happen or that one of the involved parties might explode and thereby escalade everything further. K.V. Johansen has a very nice writing style that readily involves you as a reader.
There are a lot of styles of Epic Fantasy and I like it big and bold and this is precicsely what is shown in The Lady. It draws both influences from the older Epic Fantasy and from the new style what you currently see. This really create a unique sense to the story of The Lady. Take for example this part of the story: "In the days of the first kings in the North, there were seven devils…" This sentence is of high influence of the story added to this comes a might array of sword and sorcery, wizards, assassin and epic magic battle. Next to these seven devils there were also seven wizards... Not only does a simple wizard or assassin or devil make an impact it is also how you use them and for me a big plus is how you name them. This and a lot more are used just spot on in the book. Just very cool, reminds me a lot of the names that Steven Erikson gave his characters in The Malazan Empire of the Fallen just by this you know that they are not to be messed with.
Another thing to the Marakand series and which again comes nice to the forefront in The Lady is the world building. This world that features in this book has a lot of eastern influences, this is clearly notable by the exotic surrounding you are introduced both within the city and outside the city with the caravanseria. You can find out a lot more on the guest blog of "What shaped Marakand's epic fantasy, that K.V. Johansen wrote for the blog.
The Lady is a action packed, edge of your seat conclusion to this part of the Marakand series. Yes correct this part of the Marakand series. There are some loose bits at the end of The Lady that just scream for exploration. All in all K.V. Johansen has written a very solid entry in Epic Fantasy with both The Leopard and The Lady, they have the classical Epic Fantasy influences but combined with the snappy and fast pacing of current style. I do have to admit that there is a lot going on in both of the books that can be overwhelming to others but once you get through it these book are most rewarding they feature a lot of cool stuff that Epic Fantasy fans can't get enough of. I couldn't. I hope to see much more books with these character, you know they are powerful and are up to something!
January 9, 2015
Review for both 'The Leopard' and 'The Lady'.
https://draumrkopablog.wordpress.com/...
‘The Leopard’ and ‘The Lady’ are a two-book fantasy series set in the same world as ‚Blackdog’. The two books can be read without having read ‚Blackdog’, but I’d recommend reading that book first. I hadn’t read it when I started The Leopard and though it is a whole different story set in the same world, there are characters and reference to the story in ‚Blackdog’ that will be lost on anyone who hasn’t read that one.
‘The Leopard’ and ‘The Lady’ are one big book split in two. It is quite obvious this used to be one continuous story before it was split. The characters that start the story in ‘The Leopard’ disappear halfway through the story to give the stage to a whole new set of characters. I thought this was an interesting choice. The first set of characters set the whole story in motion and lead us to Marakand, one of the most important cities in the book. There another cast of characters takes over and continues the story in Marakand, while the others continue their journey to other parts of the country.
Their are two main story lines throughout the two books. The first is that of Deyandara, Ahjvar and Ghu. Deyandara is the bastard daughter of a Queen and the half sister of the High King. When her family is murdered by the forces of Marakand, the Goddess of her land, Catairanah, sends her to find The Leopard, an assassin, so she can execute revenge on Marakand. Ahjvar and his companion Ghu, though reluctant at first, follow her to Marakand.
Ahjvar, cursed by the Goddess Catairanah seeks only an end to the torment he has been going through for years. A murdering spirit lives inside him, wakening every other night, hungry for blood. Ahjvar story is a fascinating one. The details of his past unfold at the end of ‘The Lady’ and I was very satisfied by how he fit into the greater picture.
Ghu remains a mystery until the very end. As Ahjvar’s loyal companion, he first seems a bit slow at first, more a servant than anything else. But later on we find out that Ghu is much more than that and I thought it was fantastic how he slowly became a big force in the story, though he isn’t one of the most important characters at first.
The second storyline is that of the Lady of Marakand, who has corrupted the city. There are those who see through her deception and want to overthrow her, to bring back peace, prosperity and the rightful Gods to the city. They are a varied bunch those. Ivah is a wizard who has already made an appearance in ‚Blackdog’, while the Blackdog himself is also in the city. The demon bear (name) and his partner Moth have also arrived in the city, because Moth has a very specific and dangerous mission to complete. Together with the last priest of one of the old Gods they try to make an end to the Lady’s reign, but to do that they have to face the fearsome Red Masks first. And not just anyone can kill the Red Masks. The most interesting thing about this storyline though was in my opinion Zora’s perspective. Zora is a dancer in the temple of the Lady, but she’s actually still loyal to the old Gods. However, when the old Voice of the Lady is murdered, she is chosen to take her place. But instead of talking through The Voice, as the Lady has always done in the past, The Lady takes over Zora body, so she can have more control over the city. It is soon clear however that The Lady isn’t the Goddess she pretends to be. All these different souls/personalities in one body must cause some confusion and the author has depicted this wonderfully. The chapters told from The Lady/Zora’s perspective are incoherent, chaotic and sometimes difficult to follow. Though this may be jarring for some readers, I thought it was very fascinating and a very bold choice to use this kind of narrative.
Next to all these great characters and their fight for righteousness, the world building definitely also deserves a mention. A Middle-Eastern setting with interesting cultures and tribes gave the perfect background this story needed.
It was interesting to watch the story of the devils/wizards unfold. Starting the books, you know the story of the seven devils who merged their souls with that of the seven wizards and who were later imprisoned by the Gods and Goddesses of the land.
The devils tricked the wizards in joining their body to be able to roam the world and rule it. What they didn’t expect is that merging their soul with that of another being would change them as much as it would change the other. During the story we encounter a few of these devils and it’s interesting to see how different they’ve become and what road they want to walk on Earth.I loved how the Gods and Goddesses of the land were very flawed and also able to die. Though most are benign and want to help their folk and their land, they also make very human mistakes. The fact that they can be punished and can be killed made them kind of vulnerable. Though they are ethereal and command reverence, they still have a weak spot.
The story comes to a powerful conclusion in ‘The Lady’, giving us closure for both the major story lines. I was more than satisfied by the ending and the exciting action-filled last battles. Some of the characters seem set on a certain path after all that happened in Marakand and in the Duina Catairna, but some still have an interesting future ahead of them that could give rise to a continuation of their story.
The Marakand books were amongst my favourite reads of 2014. I enjoyed reading both of them very much. These books are a rich Epic Fantasy written in a complex, but beautiful writing style that is immensely captivating. I would recommend to first read ‚Blackdog’ before you start this two-parter. It will give you more background on some of the characters that is lacking in these books. Another tip is to really view these books as one and read them one after the other, it will give you a more coherent and fluent story.
Overall a series that I very much enjoyed and I will be keeping an eye out for more work from K.V. Johansen in the future!
https://draumrkopablog.wordpress.com/...
‘The Leopard’ and ‘The Lady’ are a two-book fantasy series set in the same world as ‚Blackdog’. The two books can be read without having read ‚Blackdog’, but I’d recommend reading that book first. I hadn’t read it when I started The Leopard and though it is a whole different story set in the same world, there are characters and reference to the story in ‚Blackdog’ that will be lost on anyone who hasn’t read that one.
‘The Leopard’ and ‘The Lady’ are one big book split in two. It is quite obvious this used to be one continuous story before it was split. The characters that start the story in ‘The Leopard’ disappear halfway through the story to give the stage to a whole new set of characters. I thought this was an interesting choice. The first set of characters set the whole story in motion and lead us to Marakand, one of the most important cities in the book. There another cast of characters takes over and continues the story in Marakand, while the others continue their journey to other parts of the country.
Their are two main story lines throughout the two books. The first is that of Deyandara, Ahjvar and Ghu. Deyandara is the bastard daughter of a Queen and the half sister of the High King. When her family is murdered by the forces of Marakand, the Goddess of her land, Catairanah, sends her to find The Leopard, an assassin, so she can execute revenge on Marakand. Ahjvar and his companion Ghu, though reluctant at first, follow her to Marakand.
Ahjvar, cursed by the Goddess Catairanah seeks only an end to the torment he has been going through for years. A murdering spirit lives inside him, wakening every other night, hungry for blood. Ahjvar story is a fascinating one. The details of his past unfold at the end of ‘The Lady’ and I was very satisfied by how he fit into the greater picture.
Ghu remains a mystery until the very end. As Ahjvar’s loyal companion, he first seems a bit slow at first, more a servant than anything else. But later on we find out that Ghu is much more than that and I thought it was fantastic how he slowly became a big force in the story, though he isn’t one of the most important characters at first.
The second storyline is that of the Lady of Marakand, who has corrupted the city. There are those who see through her deception and want to overthrow her, to bring back peace, prosperity and the rightful Gods to the city. They are a varied bunch those. Ivah is a wizard who has already made an appearance in ‚Blackdog’, while the Blackdog himself is also in the city. The demon bear (name) and his partner Moth have also arrived in the city, because Moth has a very specific and dangerous mission to complete. Together with the last priest of one of the old Gods they try to make an end to the Lady’s reign, but to do that they have to face the fearsome Red Masks first. And not just anyone can kill the Red Masks. The most interesting thing about this storyline though was in my opinion Zora’s perspective. Zora is a dancer in the temple of the Lady, but she’s actually still loyal to the old Gods. However, when the old Voice of the Lady is murdered, she is chosen to take her place. But instead of talking through The Voice, as the Lady has always done in the past, The Lady takes over Zora body, so she can have more control over the city. It is soon clear however that The Lady isn’t the Goddess she pretends to be. All these different souls/personalities in one body must cause some confusion and the author has depicted this wonderfully. The chapters told from The Lady/Zora’s perspective are incoherent, chaotic and sometimes difficult to follow. Though this may be jarring for some readers, I thought it was very fascinating and a very bold choice to use this kind of narrative.
Next to all these great characters and their fight for righteousness, the world building definitely also deserves a mention. A Middle-Eastern setting with interesting cultures and tribes gave the perfect background this story needed.
It was interesting to watch the story of the devils/wizards unfold. Starting the books, you know the story of the seven devils who merged their souls with that of the seven wizards and who were later imprisoned by the Gods and Goddesses of the land.
The devils tricked the wizards in joining their body to be able to roam the world and rule it. What they didn’t expect is that merging their soul with that of another being would change them as much as it would change the other. During the story we encounter a few of these devils and it’s interesting to see how different they’ve become and what road they want to walk on Earth.I loved how the Gods and Goddesses of the land were very flawed and also able to die. Though most are benign and want to help their folk and their land, they also make very human mistakes. The fact that they can be punished and can be killed made them kind of vulnerable. Though they are ethereal and command reverence, they still have a weak spot.
The story comes to a powerful conclusion in ‘The Lady’, giving us closure for both the major story lines. I was more than satisfied by the ending and the exciting action-filled last battles. Some of the characters seem set on a certain path after all that happened in Marakand and in the Duina Catairna, but some still have an interesting future ahead of them that could give rise to a continuation of their story.
The Marakand books were amongst my favourite reads of 2014. I enjoyed reading both of them very much. These books are a rich Epic Fantasy written in a complex, but beautiful writing style that is immensely captivating. I would recommend to first read ‚Blackdog’ before you start this two-parter. It will give you more background on some of the characters that is lacking in these books. Another tip is to really view these books as one and read them one after the other, it will give you a more coherent and fluent story.
Overall a series that I very much enjoyed and I will be keeping an eye out for more work from K.V. Johansen in the future!
July 6, 2017
The weakest of the series (still much better than most fantasy, though!); maybe I just did not particularly enjoy the situation of the title character. _The Lady_ dealt with the same characters and situations as the previous book, and moved the events along appropriately; too much time exposing the nature of multiple personality disorder. This could be construed as the author trying to show us the problem through internal monologue, instead of telling us about the multiple personality problems. A good idea, but the execution went a little long.
Enjoyed the secondary characters and the magic-infused fight scenes.
Enjoyed the secondary characters and the magic-infused fight scenes.
August 21, 2016
I kept “The Leopard” hanging around on my to-read bookshelf for a while, and luckily for me, I finally decided to give it a shot. It was so much fun, I then jumped right into K.V. Johansen’s latest, “The Lady” (Pyr, $18, 445 pages) – and I’m now definitely looking forward to the next volume in the Marakand series.
And actually, even though “The Leopard” is listed as volume one, it would be worthwhile to start with “Blackdog,” which is really the start of a series set on a pre-industrial world with plenty of magic – but is also dotted with gods, demons and other unusual beings. Johansen’s world is fundamentally animist in nature; that is, every river and prominent natural feature has its own god, but these gods are, if not exactly mortal, prone to rises and falls in power depending on human and other activity.
The narrative in all three books is complex, but characters that emerge in “Blackdog” are still around, as are brand-new ones, who take center stage and then depart somewhat abruptly. In “The Leopard,” for example, a main character disappears about halfway through, though he returns toward the end of “The Lady.”
Such quibbles aside, this is a fascinating series due in great part to Johansen’s very unusual hierarchy of human and other powers, and her grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the fantasy genre. Don’t be afraid to jump in, though I do recommend beginning with “Blackdog.”
And actually, even though “The Leopard” is listed as volume one, it would be worthwhile to start with “Blackdog,” which is really the start of a series set on a pre-industrial world with plenty of magic – but is also dotted with gods, demons and other unusual beings. Johansen’s world is fundamentally animist in nature; that is, every river and prominent natural feature has its own god, but these gods are, if not exactly mortal, prone to rises and falls in power depending on human and other activity.
The narrative in all three books is complex, but characters that emerge in “Blackdog” are still around, as are brand-new ones, who take center stage and then depart somewhat abruptly. In “The Leopard,” for example, a main character disappears about halfway through, though he returns toward the end of “The Lady.”
Such quibbles aside, this is a fascinating series due in great part to Johansen’s very unusual hierarchy of human and other powers, and her grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the fantasy genre. Don’t be afraid to jump in, though I do recommend beginning with “Blackdog.”
August 16, 2016
This book advances the Marakand series. One can see why the author might have wanted The Lady and The Leopard to remain one volume ... it brings the intriguing conflict in the city of Marakand to a thoughtful conclusion, also portraying the impact of the cataclysm on the city's invasion of its neighbouring states. The story, and particularly this volume, makes one reflect on the nature of godhead, devilry, and spirits, bringing surprising humanity to them all while not losing sight of the web of the individual people who find themselves at the centre of grand conflagrations.
The Lady also poses questions about how we humans can find ourselves under the heel of merciless (or mad) totalitarians and what we can/should do when such things come to pass. Do we rise up in arms knowing that death, torture, and destruction will come in the wake of doing so? Or, do we preserve our lives and the lives of those we love by becoming unwilling implements for the spread of tyranny? What should we think of people who turn the spread of tyranny into their own personal benefit? What of people who commit horrors in the name of freedom? These are questions that are pertinent to think upon in today's world.
The Lady also poses questions about how we humans can find ourselves under the heel of merciless (or mad) totalitarians and what we can/should do when such things come to pass. Do we rise up in arms knowing that death, torture, and destruction will come in the wake of doing so? Or, do we preserve our lives and the lives of those we love by becoming unwilling implements for the spread of tyranny? What should we think of people who turn the spread of tyranny into their own personal benefit? What of people who commit horrors in the name of freedom? These are questions that are pertinent to think upon in today's world.
February 12, 2015
Building on book one, "The Leopard," and "Blackdog" before it, "The Lady" continues from a rough pause between volumes. We're eventually reunited with what we were led to believe are the main characters of the "Marakand" story and the familiar faces from "Blackdog" come into their own. The series' slow build and gradual reveal of the mythology and history at play begin to pay off about halfway through, and the conclusion brings a satisfying end to this part of Johansen's saga - setting up future installments as well. Once I got over the obscure exposition and to the real developments, the rougher patches (which I still blame on design and marketing) were forgotten. Johansen's world is captivating and rich far beyond what lies on the surface - now I'm anticipating going back to the beginning with "Blackdog" and getting the proper introduction.
August 9, 2017
So many threads, all drawn to a satisfactory conclusion, yet not all cut off. I loved these books (The Leopard and the Lady are really one book, to be honest), I love the characters, the world. In some ways all the set-up of the first book meant this was an extended resolution with a series of climaxes, and quite a lot of chaotic action - a lot of which is internal or magical/metaphysical. In the end, the baddie is neutralised without too much tension (after all, she's no match for what's arrayed against her), though not without loss and sacrifice, and becomes almost a tragic figure. But it's nice to have a mostly-happy ending, and the stage is set to entangle all these captivating characters in a new intrigue and a new location. Can't wait to explore it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2020
So even though I'm still a bit muddy on the various cultures and don't always track the many characters well, and feel like I should really read Blackdog for backstory, there's enough to keep me invested in the world and the characters. There's a core to them that I really like but can't articulate.
I want to reread these until I do follow all the threads.
Having now read the series from the beginning, the character arcs have more depth--Ivah's especially stood out as improving knowing her full backstory. Also I love Ahjvar and Ghu so much.
I want to reread these until I do follow all the threads.
Having now read the series from the beginning, the character arcs have more depth--Ivah's especially stood out as improving knowing her full backstory. Also I love Ahjvar and Ghu so much.
June 26, 2015
Will add a review once I'm done being upset about deaths and EVEN MORE SEPARATION.
December 22, 2014
3.5 - Looking forward to more of Lakkariss' journey.
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